"I didn't think you would know Kiara's father of all people Pyre." Blake comments, curiosity clear as day in his tone.
"We go way back, me and him." Pyre explains, past memories forming a subtle melancholy to his demeanor.
"We would spar endlessly sharpening our powers day and night." Pyre recounts fondly, going through the films of memory of his younger days.
"We were a trio but that's long in the past now." Pyre sighs his fist reflexively clenches as unwanted memories come forward.
"So what is this about mentorship and why didn't I get anything like this?" Blake asks his tone filling with agitation, seeing the opportunity he wasn't given.
"The simple answer is you don't have a power. They have a certain set of criteria that they follow for this program." Pyre explains, not sugar coating his words.
"However your sister does and a strong one at that. The military has seen great potential in her and her power. She just needs help getting used to it." He continues, displaying a holographic projection of Ravens file.
"That's where I come in." Pyre forms a familiar gesture, pointing his thumb to his face with a bright smile.
"For the next year or two I'll be looking after her. Helping her to get used to using her powers and dealing with her drawback." Pyre continues, putting up two fingers to emphasize his point.
"At the same time I'll be looking after you Blake. Harm will not come to you two while around and breathing, that i promise you." Pyre vows, seeing potential within the two innocent siblings.
"If that does happen an inferno will be waiting for your enemies." Pyre says, his voice taking on a razor edge as flames lick up from the base of his palm.
"Whatever i guess, you better be true to your word and protect my sister." Blake warns, a clear edge to his tone followed by a scrutinizing side eye.
"I still haven't forgotten that slam either! You could have gone a little bit easier." Blake scoffs crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.
"Pain is a great fertilizer for growth kid, you'll thank me for it later." Pyre chuckles, sending a soft jab into Blakes shoulder.
'He's not wrong that lesson persists even now.' Blakes inner thoughts shoot throughout him sending shivers down his spine at the remembrance of the cold embrace of defeat.
"For now kid you should get some rest, remember these retakes are a privilege by no means will they abide by your time. The next one is tomorrow." Pyre warns, finishing off the rest of his pizza crusts.
"This is meant to be a flash exam. You win or you lose, they're not drawing this out any further." Pyre explains through a mouthful of food.
"I wish you luck kid, I know you can do it. Your fire burns brighter and brighter by the day that should tell you something." Pyre encourages, noticing the changes day by day in Blake.
"Raven I'll be coming by twice a week going forward." Pyre wipes the grease from his beard.
"Our first goal is to get you used to your power, Once we have that will go from there." He says brushing the crumbs out of his red beard.
"Be safe you two. If you need to get a hold of me for any reason, ring this number." Pyre flicks a holo-screen towards Blakes watch with his number embedded in it. Leaving their humble abode at last.
"He seemed nice. I'm guessing he was your examiner." Raven smirks, an inquisitive stare forming trying to decipher possible answers.
"Well done sis you figured it out." Blake praises sarcasm clinging to each word.
"Was that sarcasm?" Raven pouts before flicking her brother square in the forehead.
"So Blake." She sighs, her annoyance subsiding a little.
"Are you going to fill me in on the juicy details of your retake. How you even escaped a pair gene hunters". She asks with an inquisitive smile, her sternness softening from the curiosity building in her green eyes.
'I don't even know what the hell happened myself.' His mind begins to overload at the thought of having to explain this. Chaos bursts forth out of Blake's mind, the horrifying match regurgitating itself in his mind.
'I want to tell her. I need to tell her, what happened to me...' His thoughts gnaw away at his psyche urging him to do something.
'I can't continue dealing with this alone, its too much, its suffocating me.' The immense pressure of everything starts to crash down on him almost increasing his gravity, his once calm like state shattered again with stress.
'Am I even Blake still?' The question erupts out of his mind like a blooming thorned rose. A sense of detachment follows his cascading thoughts swirling together in a violent tornado in his mind.
'I have to protect her, involving her in this will only create trouble for her.' He argues to himself his resolve anchoring him through the swirl of chaos brewing in his mind.
'I need to keep this to myself. Its like they said, there's a storm brewing I don't want to be the fuel for it to burst.' He affirms his painful decision clenching his fist his resolve cutting through the usual honesty of their tight knit bond as siblings.
'I have to. As much as it hurts.' His thoughts finally come to a close settling on his painful decision.
"I got lucky I guess, the military provided me with some better materials." He says, a fake expression of cheeriness forms like a mask over himself.
"I could finally make some decent gear to stand a chance." He smiles wide hiding his hollow gaze by showing off his new prosthetic.
"It worked out quite well. I just managed to scrape by with it." Blake sighs, keeping his lie spinning, guilt starts to take root in the pits of his stomach knowing he has to lie to his sister.
"Imagine my surprise when the same gear helped me escape those hunters." Blake says, a shadow forming in his gaze continuing to spin his web of lies.
"Oh, I'm glad Blake. I'm gonna head upstairs for some rest." Raven yawns, sending Blake a quick smile already four steps up.
'He still won't tell me anything, I know for a fact the military would never give him materials like that. How did he even manage to escape those hunters? Did he even escape?' Her thoughts pound through her skull making a lump form in her throat.
'Why, why don't you tell me Blake? I thought we could lean on one another we have ever since dad died what changed.' Tears start to well up in her green eyes streaming down her cheeks.
'Ever since that day you were in the hospital you haven't been the same, what's happening to you?' She mumbles to herself, the once close bond they had under threat. Walking into her room she shuts the door and drops faceplanting into her pillow trying to fight off her sobs.
A hand brushes up his face trying to somewhat soothe the festering guilt forming inside of him. Left guilt ridden he walks out to the balcony of their apartment complex.
*Click*
*Zap*
orange and red ignites at the tip smoke starting to plumb up, twisting and disappearing. a calm exhale escapes his mouth, the sharp edge of the prior events slowly dulling.
*Buzz*
A green static branches and splits apart in thin strands of energy before coursing its way up his shoulder, the energy takes on a familiar shape.
"You did a really good job against those, what are they called again?" Zeus asks, snapping his fingers with a spark trying to recall their name.
"Gene Hunters..." Blake mumbles resting his arms on the rail of the balcony letting out a long exhale of smoke.
"Yeah those guys, you did a good job against them you didn't even need my help this time. I say you got a bit better then the last time." An innocent smiles bubbles up in the dense green energy of his body.
"What are you thinking about brother? Anything i can do?" Zeus asks worried, seeing the subtle shifts in Blakes mood.
"My sister, I have to keep lying to her about everything. It hurts...we were always so close. But I have to do it. I cant risk her getting hurt, i cant lose her too." Blake explains, flicking off the long ash tip of his cigarette.
"I still don't know if this power is a blessing or a curse." He stars out at the open skies, taking in the view trying to escape his current feelings.
"On one hand I can do something now, I've gained a power and I've gained you. Its everything i ever wanted." He explains, melancholy clinging to his tone. A small smile forming on his face.
"On the other hand I feel like I'm being hollowed out slowly..." The same smile disappearing entirely into an expression of doubt and worry.
"The recent events don't help with that either. I don't even know what that thing was." Blake chokes out, rubbing at the back of his neck feeling his hair stand on end.
"What thing?" Zeus asks with an attentive look.
'Even Zeus doesn't know. Should I tell him?' Blake asks himself. Doubt breaking its way through.
'No, the last thing I want is for him to fear me. Were brothers, I don't want him to think that's gonna fall through because of something like this.' His mind continues to fly through thoughts at a rapid rate, the tornado almost forming back together. With a deep inhale his cigarette reaches the end of its life.
"Don't worry about it Zeus if it becomes a big deal I'll let you know. For now its just stress I have to deal with." Blake assures, patting Zeus's head. Not wanting to involve him any further.
'One day dad, i promise I will enter space, I just need to get through these hurdles first.' He says to himself, his green eyes lost in the numerous stars in the sky. The night sky hangs over Boreal stars illuminating the darkness. Extending out his hand he tries to catch a star clenching his fist tightly around the light.